My Life In Santa Carla
by high class trash
Summary: Viviana and her little sister escape an abusive home by running away to Santa Carla, which causes more trouble than they thought possible. EDITED & REWRITTEN .
1. Chapter 1: She's A Little Runaway

_Disclaimer: This is the first and last time I'm gonna say this. I don't own anything except Viviana and Stela._

_A/N: So, here it is! The new and improved version! I hope you guys like it. Let me know what ya think._

_**My Life In Santa Carla.  
Chapter One-She's A Little Runaway.**_

I was in a hurry as I ushered my sister up the stairs; I almost tripped twice over my skirt. My father was in a drunken rage as he followed us through the house, all the while screaming and yelling. He didn't even need a reason to scream and hurt us, he did it out of boredom. I didn't care if he caught me, I just didn't want him to get his hands on Stela. After what seemed like forever, we finally made it up the stairs. _I don't remember there being that many damn stairs_, I thought to myself. We ran into my room and I hurriedly locked the door. I knew that it wouldn't hold him off for too long and I had to come up with a plan fast.

I looked at the terrified, tear-streaked face of Stela and that's when I realized that we had to run, we had to run as far away from home as we could. I had gotten a job over the summer and had saved up some money in case of an emergency, and I believe this classified as an emergency. A loud slam against the door brought me back to reality. I grabbed the money and a duffel bag. I grabbed a few belongings and threw them into the bag. _Now comes the hard part...how am I going to get to my sister's room without getting caught?_ I knew he was waiting outside the door, but I was fast and he was drunk, so it couldn't be that hard to get by him, could it? I just didn't want to leave Stela alone. I knew that this was our only chance of escaping and this was the only idea I could think of, so I decided to run with it.

"Stela, sweetheart, how would you like to leave this place and never come back," I asked as I kneeled down next to her.

Stela looked up at me with tear-filled eyes and said, "How could we do that Viv?"

"I have some money saved up from my job. I'll even let you pick the place."

"I-I read about this place called Santa Carla and it sounds really fun. It has a boardwalk and everything," she answered quietly.

"Ok, we'll go to Santa Carla, I just have to get some things from your room first. Is it ok if I do that," I asked quietly, hoping that she would agree.

Stela looked like he was arguing with herself, one part of her wanting to run away and never come back, the other part not wanting to be left alone. She finally agreed and I told her to get into the closet and she slowly inched her way towards it. After I made sure that she was well hidden, I made my way to the door. _There's no turning back now..._ I reached for the doorknob and slowly turned it. I felt like my heart was going to explode because it was beating so fast. I looked down and saw that he had passed out on the floor. _That makes things less complicated._

I grabbed whatever clothes I saw out of her room. I quickly and silently made my way back to my room, just in case he decided to come to. I finally made it to my room and I silently swore myself for not locking the door._ God, I'm an idiot!_ I went inside and shut and locked the door. I heard him stirring outside of the door..._I made it just in time._ I made my way over to the closet and opened the door.

"We're going to have to climb out of the window and then we're going to climb down the tree. Do you think you can do that?"

"I think so," Stela mumbled. I opened the window, careful not to be too loud. Stela climbed out first and then I followed. I turned around and looked around my room._ This will be the last time I ever see this place again...Thank God!_ I checked to make sure that I had everything. I grabbed some blankets, just in case. I silently slipped out of the window, I looked down and saw that Stela had already climbed down the tree and was waiting for me. I threw the duffel bag onto the ground below me and began climbing down the tree.

After I made my way down, I checked to make sure Stela was okay.

"Are we still going to Santa Carla, Viv," she asked.

"If ya want."

She nodded her head before grabbing my hand.

"Now we have to get bus tickets." After I bought our tickets, we made our way to the bus and climbed on. I gave the driver our tickets, as he took them from my hands, he gave me a look that clearly stated..._runaways._ I didn't care though, I was getting out of this place. I was happy that I was getting Stela out of this hell hole. We walked to the back of the bus and sat down. We were the only ones on the bus except for one boy who had a green mohawk. _He looks...interesting._ When Stela spotted him, she scooted closer to me. She was excited, I could tell just by looking at her.

"You should get some sleep," I said handing her a blanket.

The last thing Stela said before she drifted to sleep was, "I love you, Viv." Shortly after that, I fell asleep too.


	2. Chapter 2: People Are Strange

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Here's chapter 2! I didn't edit this chapter all that much, but there are a few things you may or may not be wondering about. I took Aubrey out, so it's only Viv and Stela. Crescent City is about 8 hours away from Santa Cruz/Carla, and I have no idea who Viv's gonna be with. It was Marko, but I always end up leaning toward David, since he's my favorite. So we'll just have to see where it goes. Ohh, by the way, Viv's 17 and Stela's 8. Hope ya like!_

_**My Life In Santa Carla.  
Chapter Two-People Are Strange.**_

As I slowly opened my eyes, the bright sunlight caught me off guard, and I snapped my eyelids shut. After I got used to the sunlight, I checked on Stela. _Sleeping peacefully_. I decided to let her sleep, she had a rough night to say the least. I guess the bus stopped while I was sleeping because mohawk boy was nowhere to be found. _I'm gonna go ask the driver how much longer until we're in Santa Carla._

"Excuse me, how much longer until we reach Santa Carla?", I asked as politely as I could. I'm not a morning person, so being polite this early was a feat for me.

"About fifteen minutes", he replied.

"Oh, thanks," I muttered, already heading back to my seat. I decided to wake up Stela, so we could pack up the blankets.

"Hey, c'mon, wake up, we're almost there." Stela slowly opened her eyes and rubbed the sleep from them.

"Well, here we are, Santa Carla," the driver said to us.

As I stepped off the bus with Stela in front of me, I took a deep breath and couldn't wait to start my new life.

"Viv, I'm hungry," Stela said to me impatiently.

"Okay, let's get some food." We went into the first restaurant we saw, and it looked cheap, which is always a plus when you're low on money. I bought two burgers that practically dripped grease and looked like they came out of a dumpster. _Actually, we'd probably have better luck rummaging through a dumpster._ But, considering that it might be our last meal for awhile, I decided to eat it anyway. Stela was already halfway through with hers. After we got through eating, I decided that it was probably time for us to change clothes. I gave Stela a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt after we entered the bathroom. I changed into whatever I grabbed first, which happened to be a white tank top and a long,white skirt with silver-sequined flower designs.

We walked back to the booth and I left a few dollars on the table. I figured we could roam the boardwalk for awhile. After leaving the restaurant, I saw a guy who looked as if he knew the town fairly well.

"Are there any jobs I could get around here?"

"Oh yeah, there are plenty, but I don't think that you'd be interested in any of them." I took the hint and thanked him anyway. Stela caught sight of all the rides and started jumping up and down, pointing.

"I don't think they're open yet." I asked someone when they opened and was informed that everything opened at night. That's when all of the rides opened and they even had a concert. That's what I wanted to check out.

It was about three in the afternoon, so we roamed the boardwalk for a few more hours. Stela was complaining that her feet were hurting from walking all day. I saw a bench across from a video store and decided to rest for awhile. The bright lights of the boardwalk began flicking on one by one until the whole boardwalk was lit up. Stela was growing impatient with excitement. I still planned on going to that concert, but it hadn't started yet because I couldn't hear the music. The only music I heard was coming from the shops and the rides. Night had officially fallen and I decided to take her to the rides and then we would make our way to the concert. As we made our way to the rides, the roar of engines could be heard heading towards the Santa Carla boardwalk.


	3. Chapter 3: Cry Little Sister

A/N: _Thanks for the reviews! I'm stokeddd because I'm going to get Lost Boys: The Tribe tommorrow. I know alot of people are saying that it sucks or whatever, but I think it's gonna be cool. But anyways, I decided to be nice and post another chapter. Hope ya'll like it! Ohh, by the way, if you guys are wondering what Viv looks like, I have pictures up on my profile and I need to know who you want Viv to be paired with, if anyone, so tell me in a review or PM._

_**My Life In Santa Carla.  
Chapter Three-Cry Little Sister.**_

After choosing to ignore the roar of the engines, we made our way over to the merry-go-round. As I watched Stela laugh, I glanced at the video store and saw four motorcycles parked in the front. I broke out of my reverie and glanced back at the merry-go-round, only to see that Stela was gone. _Don't panic, I'm sure she's around here somewhere._ I remembered telling her that we were going to check out the concert. _That's probably where she's at right now._

As I made my way through the crowd, trying not to get knocked down, I saw four boys walk out of the video store. As they walked over to their bikes, I couldn't help but stare at them. They were enticing to me, it was as if I was in some kind of trance. The white-blonde haired boy, who appeared to be the leader of the group, climbed onto his bike and the others followed suit. Apparently, I had been staring for a while because the boys looked in my direction. One of them, obviously the youngest, smirked at me and I felt the blood rush into my cheeks. I looked away, embarrassed that I had been caught, and decided to head towards the concert, hoping to find Stela.

After what seemed like forever, I finally made it to the concert.

"Stela!" I didn't get an answer. _Don't panic just yet, I'm sure that she's fine. I'll just go look elsewhere for her._ After walking past every shop at least five times, I began to lose hope. I remembered all of the missing persons posters I saw plastered on the wall and shop windows. _She's going to become just another face on a window, _I thought as I started to cry.

I made my way over to the beach after deciding that that's where I'd spend the night. I sat on the shore and stared at all of the stars and though about where else I could look for her. _What if I never see her again? It's my fault that she's gone, if we never would've left Crescent City to come here, she'd still be with me._ I felt tears trickle down my cheeks and I heard the sound of approaching footsteps. I stood up and turned around. I was face to face with the youngest of the four boys that I had seen earlier in front of the video store.

"Hi," he said.

"H-Hi," I stuttered.

"Why are you alone on the beach at this time of night?"

"Well, I don't really have anywhere else to go," I mumbled.

"Why are you crying?"

"I can't find my little sister and I've looked everywhere. I looked at the concert. I looked in the shops and I can't find her anywhere," I rambled.

"Okay, calm down, I'll help you look for her."

"Thank you...," I broke off, remembering that I didn't know what his name was.

"My name's Marko."

"How did you know that I was wondering what your name was?" He just flashed me a smile.

"My name's Viviana, by the way."

"That's a nice name."

"Yeah, I think so too." Marko laughed.

"Where did you lose her?"

"The last time I saw her was at the merry-go-round."

"How long ago was that?"

"Um, I'm not really sure, but I'd say a few hours."

"Well, they couldn't have gone too far. This place is pretty big and my friends are here and I'm sure that they will help us find your sister."

"Um, okay, I guess they could help. I don't know too much about this place considering that I just got here this afternoon. But, that's beside the point, where do you think we should start looking first?"

"So you're new, that explains a lot. How about we start here and work our way down to the merry-go-round. Is that okay?"

"That sounds good."

"Okay, let's go."

He led me over to his motorcycle, which was sitting a little farther down the beach.

"Climb on behind me."

"Um, okay."

He could sense my fear and uncertainty because he looked at me and said, " Don't be scared, Viviana." I climbed on behind him.

"You might want to hang on."

"O-Okay." I gently took hold of his jacket, which was adorned with patches of all different designs and colors.

He smirked, " You need to hang on like this." He grabbed my arms and wrapped them around his waist. Once again, I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. I didn't have time to think about anything else as he revved up the engine and we sped off into the night, as the darkness of Santa Carla consumed us.


	4. Chapter 4: Lost In The Shadows

_A/N:_ _Here's chapter 4! I hope you guys like it. Nobody told me who they wanted Viv to be paired with, so I guess I'll just wing it and whatever happens, happens. I'm gonna be writing a fic about The Outsiders, so if any of you are into that, then ya'll should check it out once it's posted. XOXO._

_**My Life In Santa Carla.  
Chapter Four-Lost In The Shadows.**_

It was the first time I had ever ridden on a motorcycle, and to be honest, I was scared to death. I was holding on to Marko for dear life, silently praying that I didn't fall off. I decided for the time being to keep my eyes closed until we reached our destination. After what seemed to be a few minutes, Marko told me that it was okay to open my eyes. I shuddered from the cold. _There's another idiotic move on my part, I didn't bring a jacket. I didn't even grab one for Stela. _I looked around and saw that we were standing in front of a comic book shop. I looked inside and saw two boys, who didn't look to be over the age of sixteen, stocking shelves.

"Hey Marko, I'm gonna look in here, okay?"

"Okay, I'll wait out here."

"Alright, it won't take long." As I walked into the shop, my eyes landed on a couple sitting in front of the counter, they were obviously stoned. I suspected that they were the two boys' parents.

"I haven't seen you around here before, are you new," I heard a voice behind me ask. I whirled around and saw that the voice belonged to one of the boys that was stocking shelves.

"Uh, yeah, I just got here today. I'm looking for my sister. I was wondering if maybe you had seen her?"

"I haven't, but I'll ask Alan."

"Who?"

"Oh, Alan's my brother and I'm Edgar. We're the Frog brothers."

"Alright, I'm Viviana," I said, trying to hold back my laughter.

"Hey Alan, have you seen a little kid come by here?"

"I've seen alot of little kids come by here. Be more specific."

"She lost her little sister," Edgar replied, motioning towards me.

"Uh, I think I saw a little girl run by here earlier."

"Thank you so much, you wouldn't by any chance know what direction she went, would ya," I asked hopefully.

"I saw her go into the video store."

"Thank you guys so much," I yelled. I was halfway across the shop and on my way out when I heard Alan yell.

"Wait," he shouted after me. I stopped and turned around.

"Take this before you go," Edgar said, shoving something into my hands. I looked down and saw that it was a comic book.

I glanced up at the title, which was written in a large bloody font, and read it quietly to myself, "Vampires Eveywhere." I looked from the comic book to Edgar and Alan, and shrugged my shoulders and walked out.

"You really need to keep a closer watch on her. There's no tellin' what coud happen to her, especially around here," Edgar called after me.

"Any luck," I heard Marko ask. I was still in a daze from my meeting with the Frog brothers and absentmindedly responded, "Yeah, Alan told me that she ran into the video store."

I looked at Marko and saw five people behind him, looking at me. I recognized three of them. They were the boys from earlier that night. The other two, a girl of about my age and a little boy, I had never seen before. Marko decided to be the one to break the awkward silence.

"That's good. Viviana, these are my friends that I told you about."

"Well, Marko, it seems that you're not going to make proper introductions, so I guess I'll do it," the white-blonde haired boy said.

"I'm David, and this is Dwayne," he said pointing to a dark-haired boy who nodded to me.

David continued, "This is Paul." He motioned to a boy with wild blonde hair. He didn't seem to interested, but he gave a short wave. "This is Star," he said as he wrapped one arm around a girl with long, curly dark brown hair and big, brown eyes. She was dressed similarly to me.

"And this is Laddie," he motioned to the little boy, who was hiding behind Star. I waved to each of them and Laddie slowly made his way out from behind Star.

"I'm Viviana," I said.

"Viv," I heard someone yell from behind me. I whipped around and saw Stela running up to me. I threw my arms around her.

"Vivi, I can't breathe," she choked out.

"Sorry, we're going to have to sleep on the beach tonight."

"Nonsense," David interrupted me, "You can stay with us."

"Really," Marko and I both said.

David smirked, "Sure." Laddie beamed at the idea of having someone to play with.

We all headed to the bikes and I climbed on behind Marko and wrapped my arms around his waist. He smiled that innocent smile of his as I glanced at David and Star. David was smirking and Star was smiling knowingly. Stela took a liking to Dwayne, and climbed on with him. I smiled to myself, happy that I had her back. They revved up the engines and I held tighter to Marko. We rode away from the boardwalk while the boys were howling with laughter and excitement. _This is my new life. It's only been a few minutes and it's already better than my old one ever was. _We pulled up on a cliff and in the distance I could see vague traces of sunlight.


	5. Chapter 5: The Cave

_A/N: Here's chapter 5! Let me know what ya think._

_**My Life In Santa Carla.  
Chapter Five-The Cave.**_

We all climbed off the bikes and I saw David whisper something into Marko's ear. Marko smiled and nodded. _I wonder what that was all about._ The others were heading towards something that looked like the entrance of a cave. I looked around for Stela and saw her walking up ahead with Laddie. _What're we doing here?_ Marko stopped to wait on me. I caught up with him and we started walking again. I tried to hide my uneasiness, but he noticed it anyway. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders in an attempt to calm my nerves. I looked up at him and he smiled and winked at me.

After we reached the entrance, I looked down and saw stone steps that led deeper into the cave. I stopped walking and it took Marko a few minutes to realize that I wasn't following him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lied. I slowly began to walk down the steps toward him. He smiled and held out his hand, which I gladly took. When we made it down the steps, I was shocked to see a huge room filled with various objects. In the corners, there were beds shoved up against the wall. But there was one thing that caught my eye, the huge Jim Morrison picture that hung from the opposite wall. In the middle of the room, there was a huge fountain, which obviously didn't work. After looking around a little more, I realized that we were in the ruins of what seemed to be a posh hotel. I wasn't quite sure of this though, it was just an assumption.

"You guys live here?"

"Yeah," Paul replied.

"This was the hottest resort in Santa Carla about eighty-five years ago. Too bad they built it on top of the San Andreas fault. In 1906, when the big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up and this place took a header right into the crack. Now it's ours," David explained. I nodded absentmindedly, still in awe of the cave. I remembered that Stela was there and saw her playing with Laddie. I looked at Star and she smiled and I smiled in return. _I can tell that we're going to be good friends, which will be a change, considering the fact that I didn't have any friends in Crescent City. Stela didn't either._

"So, what are we gonna do now," I asked.

"Now, we sleep," David replied.

"Works for me." Stela, and I took the bed across from the one that Star and Laddie shared. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was completely out of it until I felt someone shaking me. I cracked one eye and saw Laddie standing over me.

"Laddie, what's wrong?"

"It's time to get up." He walked over to the couch where Stela and Star were sitting.

"What time is it," I asked to no one in particular.

"It's probably around 6:30," Star answered.

"In the morning?!"

"No, in the evening," Star smiled.

"Oh."

"By the way, I picked out some clothes for Stela while you were still asleep. I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind."

"Okay."

"I'm assuming that we're going somewhere?"

"Yeah, we're going to the boardwalk."

"Well, I better get changed then."

"You can change over here." Star showed me to a little secluded area with a sheet draped over the entrance.

"Okay."

I changed into a light pink skirt and a white tank top that had a light pink rose embroidered onto the fabric. I tied a silver-sequined scarf to the left strap of my tank top and then I ran my fingers through my hair, since I didn't own a brush. When I finished, I walked out and saw everyone sitting down in various places around the room. An eerie silence fell over the cave.

"What's going on," I asked uncomfortably. David glanced at the others before answering.

"Marko and I were arguing," he stated. I looked at him, confused.

"About what?"

"You."

"Uh, what about me," I asked. I wasn't too sure that I wanted to know, but my curiousity got the best of me.

"Well, Marko seems to think that you don't like wine, but I think you do," he answered with a smirk.

"Why don't you set the record straight for us, Viviana," he asked, though it sounded like more of a demand.

"I like wine," I answered, still confused.

"I told you, Marko. I have some that I think you'd love," he stated, turning his attention back to me. He motioned to Marko and whispered something into his ear. Marko smiled, before walking towards two barrels positioned against the wall. He pulled a bottle from in between them and walked back to David, handing him the bottle. David uncorked the bottle and took a sip, before offering it to me.

"C'mon, just a sip," he said quietly, still holding the bottle out to me. I glanced at the bottle and then to Marko, before taking it.

The thick, warm liquid that ran down my throat was unlike anything that I'd ever tasted. I smiled as I handed the bottle back to David. He announced that it was time to leave and we made our way to the bikes. I climbed on behind Marko and wrapped my arms around his waist, just as I did before. Star climbed on behind David and gave me a sad look. Stela and Laddie climbed on behind Dwayne. We were on our way to the boardwalk and I had made up my mind that once we got there, I was going to ask Star what was going on.


	6. Chapter 6: Michael

_**My Life In Santa Carla.  
Chapter Six-Michael Emerson.**_

After about ten to fifteen minutes, we arrived at the boardwalk. David, Dwayne, Paul, and Marko were going to the video store 'to bother Max'. The rest of us were going to the concert. As we made our way through the crowd, I figured that I would ask Star some questions.

"Star, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"What was in that bottle?"

"I wish I could tell you Viviana, but I can't."

"Please tell me what was in the bottle?"

"I can't." I chose to drop that subject for the time being.

"Who's Max?"

"I don't know. The only thing I know about him is that he owns the video store."

"Oh, ok then."

Stela and Laddie were a few feet ahead of us playing and laughing. We made it to the concert and headed toward the first empty spot we saw. I looked at the stage and saw an oiled-up saxophone player. He was wearing tight, purple pants that looked like they were made from spandex. It wasn't really my type of music, so I just stood there and watched. Stela and Laddie were behind us, dancing. I glanced over the crowd and saw a boy, with brown, curly hair, who looked about eighteen making his way through. He had a younger boy closely behind him. I looked back at the stage. Star noticed him shortly after I did.

After a few seconds, he glanced towards us and caught Star's gaze. She quickly cast her attention toward the stage. He didn't look away, but kept staring at her. Star looked at him one last time, then nodded and smiled to me. We turned and started to leave. As we were walking away, I glanced back at the boy who was so enraptured with Star. He was following us through the crowd. _Uh oh._ We met up with the boys and as I was climbing on behind Marko, I saw that the boy was still following us. He was blatantly staring at Star and the boys noticed. Star looked over to see what the fuss was about and when she caught sight of him, she smiled. The boys didn't seem to have any effect on him though. David smiled and I was shocked that he hadn't threatened to kill him if he ever caught him staring at Star again. Paul revved up his motorcycle, which broke everyone out of their reverie.

We rode away from the boardwalk and were on our way back to the cave. When we walked inside, I went and sat down on the bed.

"David, can I ask you something?" He just looked at me, signaling for me to go on.

"What was in that bottle?"

He didn't answer, he just smirked. The boys had grown silent when I asked David about the bottle, and so had Star. Stela looked confused, while Laddie's expression became fearful. As dawn drew nearer, I felt myself become weak and I suddenly had the need to sleep.

"I'm gonna go to sleep." The boys nodded and they too headed for their rooms. Star smiled at Stela and then climbed into bed.

"Laddie, c'mon, it's time to sleep," she said.

He quickly ran over to me and whispered something into my ear.

"It's blood." My eyes shot open in shock and disbelief. But before I had time to reply, he was already in bed asleep. I tried to stay awake and think about what he had said. Part of me wanted to believe that it was just a child's imagination, but I had an uneasy feeling that he was telling the truth.


	7. Chapter 7: Meeting Michael

_**My Life In Santa Carla.  
Chapter Seven-Meeting Michael.**_

When I awoke the next night, David was asking Star about the guy from the boardwalk.

"Who was he," David asked.

"I don't know, just some guy."

"I want you to find out who he is tonight." She didn't have to answer because David knew that she would do practically anything he asked of her.

"Hey, you're up," Marko said to me.

"Hi," I said quietly. I was scared after what Laddie had told me last night.

"It's about time you woke up. I'm not gettin' any younger here," Paul said jokingly.

"Where's Stela," I asked.

"She's still asleep."

"Oh." I walked over to my bag and pulled out some clothes. I headed for the 'changing room' Star had shown me.

"Are you okay," Marko asked me.

"I'm fine," I replied, not turning to look at him. I took my time changing. _I'll stay in here as long as I can, that way I won't have to be around them._ I changed into a tan skirt and a white top. I tied a scarf around my waist to serve as a belt. I sat down against the wall and began to cry, unaware that I was the topic of discussion among the boys.

"She knows," David said.

"How could she know," Dwayne asked.

"She couldn't have figured it out by herself. Someone must have told her," David replied as he glanced at everyone in turn. Stela and Laddie were beginning to stir.

"It's too late to worry about it now. There's no turning back," David said. I decided to come out of hiding. I walked in and all eyes were on me. I smiled and walked over to sit with Laddie and Stela on the couch. I felt Marko's eyes on me, but I refused to meet his gaze.

"Let's go," David said, after what seemed like hours.

Star, of course, climbed on with David. Laddie and Stela climbed on behind Dwayne. Silently, I climbed on behind Marko. We reached the boardwalk and once again, the boys headed to the video store. Star and I were looking for the boy from the concert, while the kids walked a little ways ahead of us. We saw him standing at the piercing stand. Star looked at me and I nodded.

"C'mon guys, let's go to the carousel." I looked back and saw Star talking to him. I shook my head and continued to the carousel.

_-At Max's-_

The boys walked into Max's and Paul, Dwayne, and Marko began flirting with the cashier.

"We only come here to watch one thing," Paul said as the cashier smiled at them. They watched as a woman, who appeared to be in her mid-thirties, walked in.

"This little boy is lost. I was wondering if his parents might be in here," she asked. Just as Max was about to respond a young woman ran in.

"Oh Terri, thank God. I was so worried." Max handed Terri a sucker, as his mother thanked them. Terri and his mother left as Max offered her a sucker.

"No thanks." She smiled as the four boys walked past. Max looked up at them.

"I told you not to come in here anymore." David smiled and the boys left.

"Wild kids."

"Oh, they're just young. We were that age too once, only they dress better."

"You've got a generous nature. I like that in a person, my name's Max."

"Lucy."

"So, what can I get for you, Lucy? We have it all. The best selection of video tapes in Santa Carla."

"Actually, I'm not looking for a tape. What I need is a..."

"A job," Max cut in.

"I look that needy, huh?"

_I wonder if Star is having a good time with that guy,_ I thought as I watched Laddie and Stela laughing as they went around in circles. I glanced around me and saw David and the boys leaving the video store. _So that's Max's store._ Marko spotted me and waved me over. We made our way over to the boys after the carousel ride had ended. I saw Star and the guy making their way over to his bike.

"Do you want to get something to eat," he asked.

"Okay." That's when the boys decided to interrupt and pulled up to them. Star, who was about to climb onto the bike, stopped suddenly.

"Where ya going, Star," David asked.

"For a ride, this is Michael."

"Star?" I watched as she shot Michael an apologetic look and climbed on behind David.

"Ya know where Hudson's Bluff is? Overlooking the point," David asked as he studied Michael. _Oh God.._

"I can't beat your bike."

"You don't have to beat me, Michael. You just have to keep up."


	8. Chapter 8: Now We Race!

_A/N: Sorry that it's taken me SO long to update! Hope ya like it._

_**Chapter 8- Now We Race!**_

As we sped down the steps, Michael looked uncertain. Part of me hoped that he would turn around, but I saw the looks he gave Star and I knew that he was too far gone. I also knew that it would cause nothing but trouble. We hit the beach with Michael following closely. People turned to look as we weaved through the bonfires. Occasionally, Star and I would turn to look at Michael. I could tell that he was beginning to think that this was a bad idea. I looked ahead of us and saw that we were headed for the pier at full speed. Michael began to slow down.

The boys increased their speed as we came closer to the pier. We made our way between the pilings. I was scared to think of how fast we were going. Michael slowly began to travel through the pilings, trying his best to keep up. I saw a bonfire burning a little ways down the shore. As we approached it, each boy flew through the flames and landed on the other side. It looked as if Michael had given up but soon he, too, flew through the flames. His landing wasn't as smooth as the boys'. Star and I turned and smiled at him as the boys nodded approvingly. Michael caught up with David as the rest of us fell behind.

Star reached her hand out to Michael and Michael tried to reach out and touch it. Their hands touched for a moment.

"Now we race," David shouted over the noise. David sped up, with Michael following behind him. David streaked over the bluff's surface. He seemed unaware of the drop that approached quickly. Michael noticed it and slammed on the brake, causing him to lose control of his bike. David and Star were upright, sitting on David's bike, looking at the ocean below.

"What the hell are you doing, huh," Michael shouted. He hit David as Star screamed. We all held our breath and waited for David's retaliation but it never came. He just smiled.

"How far are you willing to go, Michael?" We walked down the old steps, passing the danger signs. We entered the cave and a look of amazement grew on Michael's face. David began to tell the story of the hotel, which now served as our home.

"You wouldn't believe some of the stuff we found here," Paul said. I just sat down on the couch. Marko walked over and sat beside me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I surprised myself when I laid my head on his shoulder. Michael glanced at Star.

"C'mon Michael, let's go," Star said.

"Yeah, like that'll happen," I muttered as Marko laughed.

"No, stick around for awhile," David said.

"We were gonna get some food."

"That's not a bad idea. Marko, food." Marko nodded and left. David smirked.

"See? That's what I like about this place. Ask and you shall receive." Paul passed a joint to David.

"Thanks."

"Yeah." David passed it to Michael. Star watched them with a troubled expression.

"I have to talk to you," I mouthed to her and she nodded.


	9. Chapter 9: Why Didn't You Tell Me?

_A/N: Here it is! Sorry for the wait. Peace & Love._

_**Chapter 9- Conversations with Star**_

"Why didn't you tell me that it was blood," I asked her impatiently. The boys had taken Michael for a "joy ride," at least that's what David called it. She looked at me with sad eyes.

"I couldn't, Viviana."

"Yes, you could've. It's not like you never had the oppurtunity!"

"You don't understand..."

"What is it that I don't understand, Star?" She was silent.

"Don't be mad," she finally answered.

"How can you say that to me?"

"Why does everything always happen to me," I groaned, laying back on the bed.

"Marko saw something in you and he liked it. He wanted you all to himself and whatever they want...they get."

"I don't care," I muttered, rolling over to face the wall.

"Viviana, please," Star sighed.

"What," I snapped.

"I'm sorry for not telling you," she said quietly.

"It's okay." I hugged Star and went to lay down. We were both silent because neither of us had anything more to say. A thought crossed my mind.

"Star?"

"Yeah?"

"What about Michael?" She looked at me sadly, tears brimming in her eyes. Just as she was about to answer, the boys' laughter rang out in the cave. David looked from me to Star.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing," Star and I said quickly. He gave us a look which stated that he didn't believe us. The other boys noticed the uneasiness and quieted down.

"Aren't you guys back from your "joy ride" a little early?"

"Yeah."

"Where's Michael," Star cut in.

"He's safe, Star." I walked to the cave entrance.

"Where ya going?"

"Outside." I walked out and sat a little ways from the ledge, so I could look at the ocean. I heard someone approaching. I turned and was wrapped into a hug. I pulled away from Marko. After finding out the truth about the wine, I was scared of him.


	10. Chapter 10: Away From The Sun

_A/N: I have an awesome idea for a new LB story. I'll probably start working on that one after this one's finished. But, here's the new chapter._

_**Chapter 10.  
**__**Away From the Sun.**_

"Let's go back in." Marko grabbed my hand and helped me up.

"Marko, I want to talk to you." He sat down next to me and wrapped his arm around me. I resisted the temptation to bury my head in his shoulder. _I have to be strong. Be strong, don't break down. _I pulled away from him. He looked at me with a hurt, puzzled expression and I had to muster up all of my strength just to resist him.

"Are you okay, babe?" Tears rimmed in my eyes.

"Do I look okay," I snapped.

"Tell me what's wrong." I was silent for a moment.

"Please tell me what's going on," I pleaded.

"I can't, at least not yet."

"Why the hell not," I asked impatiently.

"It's not the right time."

"It's never gonna be the right time," I shouted, turning on my heel to walk back to the cave. He grabbed my wrist, forcing me to turn around.

"I really do like you, Viviana."

"If you liked me, you would tell me what the hell was going on," I answered.

"The sun will be rising soon." We turned towards the opening of the cave. David was standing there, with his arms crossed. Marko nodded.

"Okay." He walked to the entrance and disappeared from view.

"Are you coming Viviana," David asked.

"Yes." I walked toward the entrance and began to walk down the steps. David grabbed my wrist and whirled me around to face him. He smirked at me.

"No more questions. You'll find out soon enough," he said quietly. His grip on my wrist tightened.

"David, you're hurting me." He let me go and I practically ran down the steps. I stepped into the main part of the cave.

"Where's Stela," I asked.

"Max took her out for...ice cream," Dwayne replied.

"What?!"

"She's fine, Viviana." I had an uneasy feeling and I couldn't seem to shake it.

Star and I laid down on our beds as the boys went farther into the cave. I laid awake for an hour. The sun began to bathe the cave in a pale yellow light. I resisted the urge to reach out and touch it. I finally managed to get to sleep, but I woke up as I felt my body collide with something. My eyes snapped open, and I began to glance around. _What the hell?_ I moved my arms around, realizing that I had collided with the ceiling. I was floating!

"Star, wake up," I said quietly, scared that if I panicked, I would fall.

"Star," I screamed. She awoke and rolled over to face me, until she noticed that I wasn't there. Finally, she looked up.

"Get me down," I screamed, as I flailed my arms and legs.

"Calm down, Viv," Star answered. I groaned as I fell, landing on the bed.

"Star," I said calmly, grabbing her by her shirt and pulling her closer to me.

"Yeah," she asked.

"Explain," I demanded.

"Explain what?"

"The innocent routine isn't gonna work this time! I was _floating, _Star! That may be normal for you, but it's not for me. I wanna know what the hell's going on, and I wanna know _now_," I shouted, still gripping her shirt.

"I'll tell you tonight, at the boardwalk. It's not safe to tell you here," she answered.

"Fine, but you _will_ tell me tonight," I snapped, letting her go. She nodded and went back to bed. I laid down again, but I couldn't get back to sleep. I was too scared that I'd wake up on the ceiling again.


	11. Chapter 11: Miriam

**_My Life In Santa Carla.  
Chapter 11-Miriam._**

I fell asleep, in spite of my fear of waking up on the ceiling again. I groaned as I heard someone's voice cut in to my sleep.

"Viviana." I rolled over and pulled a pillow over my head, hoping to block it out. Someone snatched the pillow away, and started shaking me.

"Wake up!" I growled, before sitting up. _I just managed to get to sleep after having the strangest experience of my life, and now people want to wake me up._

"What," I snapped. Star was standing above me, with my pillow in her hands. I snatched my pillow from her and lay back down, planning to get some more sleep.

"We're leaving," she said. My eyes snapped back open, and I rolled out of bed. I hadn't forgotten that Star was finally going to tell me what was going on when we got to the boardwalk.

"It's about time," Paul shouted, after I had rolled out of bed. I shot him a glare as I sat next to Star. She was the only one that I could stand right now. Marko stared at me, with a confused expression. I shrugged, before looking away. David glanced between the two of us, sensing the tension. He stood and walked up the stone steps as we all followed.

I climbed on behind Marko, refusing his hand to help me on.

"You're being distant tonight," he stated. I shrugged, waiting to leave. He sighed, before racing after the others. He parked in the usual spot, and I quickly climbed off. I walked towards the beach, without a word to anyone.

"What's up with her," Paul asked.

"I'll go talk to her," Star offered, following behind.

----------------------------------------------------------

"Hi."

"Hey," I answered, as Star sat next to me.

"They wanna know why you're acting strange," she said. I laughed sarcastically.

"Yeah, well, so do I." She sighed.

"I don't want you to hate me," she said quietly. I looked at her.

"Why would I hate you," I asked.

"For what I'm about to tell you," she answered, looking at me.

"I promise I won't hate you. Just tell me," I said impatiently. I didn't want to sound mean, but I wanted to know what was happening to me.

"Well, you already know what's in the bottle," she started. I nodded, motioning for her to continue.

"The boys aren't, well, they're not…normal."

"Well hell, I already knew that," I said. She shook her head.

"You don't understand. They're…" she suddenly stopped and looked around, making sure that no one could hear.

"They're vampires, Viviana," she whispered. I stared at her as she fidgeted, and then I burst out laughing.

"Are you kidding, Star," I asked, in between laughs. She stared at the ocean, before finally looking over at me. She had tears in her eyes.

"I'm serious." I quieted down, and studied her. My mind began to piece everything together. It all made sense. It explained the strange sleeping patterns, why the sunlight seemed to bother me as much as it did, and my change in attitude.

"Oh my god," I screamed, jumping up. She stood up and placed a hand over my mouth.

"Be quiet," she whispered, looking around to make sure no one had heard.

"I-I don't understand," I cried as I placed my head in my hands.

"We're only half," she said, pulling me into a hug. I shook my head quickly, refusing to believe it. I suddenly realized something.

"You knew all along! You didn't even try to stop me," I snapped and snatched away from her.

"I couldn't. David would've killed me if I tried to help you," she pleaded. I calmed down; she was telling the truth about that.

"What else have you _not _told me," I asked. She looked down, ashamed.

"I-I know where Stela is," she whispered.

"Where?!"

"They took her back to Crescent City, to your aunt's," she said.

"Oh. Well, at least she's safe," I whispered. Star nodded.

"She is safe, right?" Star nodded again.

"How'd they know about our aunt," I asked.

"I'm guessing Max told them." I nodded and ran my hands through my hair.

"I-I'm getting outta here," I finally said. Star's eyes grew wide.

"You can't," she said.

"Why not? They can't stop me," I stated.

"Where are you gonna go," she asked.

"I'm gonna get help. Stall for me," I answered. She looked at me, not wanting to go through with any of this. I sighed.

"Please, Star. I can't do this without you," I begged. She gave me a weak smile before nodding.

"How am I supposed to stall for you," she asked.

"You're smart, figure something out." I left her standing on the beach, speechless.

----------------------------------------------------

I wasn't sure what help I was going to find, but I had to do something. I wasn't going to just sit back and do nothing. I racked my brain, trying to think of anyone who could help. I thought of my first night here, and I suddenly remembered the comic shop. _Maybe the Frogs can help me,_ I thought as I ran to the shop, hoping that I wouldn't get caught.

I made it to the shop in a few minutes, but I was too late. It was already closed.

"Damn it," I cursed, kicking at the ground. _Now what am I supposed to do?_

_------------------------------------------------------------_

"Are you ok, dear," someone asked. I jumped and turned around. A middle-aged woman was standing in the door of a shop, looking at me with a puzzled expression.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I was just hoping to make it to the shop before it closed," I muttered, motioning to the comic shop. I kept glancing around to make sure the boys weren't nearby.

"Are you looking for someone," she asked.

"No ma'am," I answered, as I shook my head. She walked over to me, and noticed that I was shaking.

"Oh dear, you're freezing! Come inside," she said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and leading me inside. I tried to protest, but she wouldn't have any of that.

"I'm Miriam, by the way," she smiled, handing me a blanket and a cup of tea.

"Viviana," I answered. I took a sip of the warm tea, before glancing out of the window.

"Are you sure you're not looking for someone," she asked again. I nodded.

"I'm actually trying to hide from a few people," I answered.

"Those boys you come here with every night," she asked, though it sounded like more of a statement. I nodded, in shock. _How'd she know that?_

"I've lived here all my life, honey, and I used to have a daughter around your age, so I can tell when something's up," she said with a sad smile. I took another drink of tea and wrapped the blanket tighter around my shoulders.

"Used to," I asked. I wanted to kick myself after asking. I knew it was probably something she didn't like talking about. She nodded as she wiped off the counters.

"She died about ten years ago," she answered quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine, sweetie," she said with a smile. She picked up a few boxes, and walked towards the back of the store.

"Let me help," I said, putting the cup down and taking the boxes from her. I put the boxes down in the storeroom.

"Thank you."

"No problem." We were walking back to the front of the store, when I glanced out the front window. I gasped and rushed back into the storeroom, with Miriam following behind me.

"What's wrong, dear," she asked, looking worried.

"They're outside," I whispered, pointing to the front. She peered around the door, before turning back to me. She noticed that I was shaking again and pulled me into a hug.

"It's okay, honey. I won't let them hurt you," she whispered soothingly. Even though I knew she wouldn't be able to stop them, it made me feel better to know that she cared. I finally calmed down and peeked out the door. They were gone.

"Do you live with them," she asked. I nodded. She looked deep in thought for a moment, before smiling.

"Well, you can stay with me if you want," she offered. I stared at her for a moment, wondering how someone could be so nice.

"O-Okay. Thank you," I stuttered.

"Just let me close up the store for the night and we'll be on our way," she said brightly. I smiled and nodded.

"Ya know, I have a son around your age. I think you'd like him, " she stated as we walked out of the shop.

"Really," I asked, interested.

"Yep. His name's Jordan, but he's staying with his dad for a couple months, " she answered, unlocking her car. I was glad that she hadn't parked too far from the shop. It felt strange riding in a car, since I had gotten used to riding on Marko's motorcycle. It was quiet until we pulled into the driveway of a fairly large house.

"Well, here we are," she said. I smiled and stepped out of the car, walking up the path.


	12. Chapter 12: The Plan

**_Chapter 12.  
A Plan...Well, Kind Of._**

"Wake up, honey," someone said. I cracked an eye open and saw Miriam standing above, with a smile.

"Five more minutes, please," I whined into my pillow.

"It's already ten. I was just about to go to the shop, but I wanted to know if you wanted to go with me," she asked. I thought about saying no and going back to sleep, but I still had to talk to Edgar and Alan.

"Yeah, I'll go," I muttered as I rolled out of bed.

"Damn! My clothes are still at the ca-, I mean my old house," I groaned.

"Don't swear! We'll just have to get you some more, but until then, you're welcome to borrow some. You're about the same size as my daughter was, so you can borrow some of hers, if you like," she said, leading me into a room down the hall.

"Help yourself," she stated, opening the closet and gesturing to the clothes.

"Uh, thanks," I answered as I rummaged through the clothes. _Could I really wear clothes that belonged to a dead girl? It just doesn't feel right. _I finally decided on a pair of jeans, a tee-shirt, and a brown, leather jacket.

"You're gonna wear a jacket," Miriam asked. I just nodded and threw my sunglasses on.

"Okay then. Let's go," she said, ushering me out of the house.

"Ya know, I was thinking you could help me at the store," Miriam said casually after we were in the car. I thought about it for a minute. _That might not be so bad. I _do_ need to find a job or something._ She owned a jewelry/clothing store on the boardwalk.

"Only if you wanted to, of course," she added quickly.

"That'd be great," I answered. She smiled and parked the car.

"Hey Miriam, is it okay if I go to the comic shop for awhile," I asked.

"Sure. You don't have to ask my permission. Just be careful, sugar."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The Santa Carla boardwalk was basically empty as I walked to the comic book shop. I wasn't sure what time the shop opened so I decided to ask the first person I saw, but until then I decided to find a shadowy place to wait. I was drowsy and irritated from being in the sun so long. A boy, who looked about fourteen, walked past me. I stood and started to follow him.

"Hey!" He whirled around and looked at me strangely.

"Yeah?" He looked really familiar but I couldn't seem to place him.

"Do you know what time the comic store opens," I asked, motioning to the store.

"Uh, I think it opens around eleven."

"What time is it now?" He looked at his watch.

"It's 10:50." I pulled the jacked tighter around my shoulders.

"You look familiar," he said.

"So do you." Suddenly, I remembered where I had seen him. I remembered seeing him at the concert; he was the boy that was following Michael.

"The concert," we said simultaneously.

"Is there a reason why you're wearing a jacket when it's like, 100 degrees," he asked.

"I, uh, burn easily," I said nervously.

"Alrighty then."

"So...why are you here this early," I asked, hoping to change the subject.

"I could ask you the same question. I'm here to see Edgar and Alan."

"Me too. Why do you need to see 'em," I asked, zipping up the jacket.

"Some weird things have been happening to my brother."

"Like what?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"I think I probably would." He looked at his watch.

"It's eleven." I looked around, noticing that more people had piled in.

"Let's go." On our way to the shop, we ran into the Frogs. While Sam, Edgar, and Alan were deep in conversation, I began to look around. The missing posters always caught my attention.

"Are you okay," Sam asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay, let's go." Edgar unlocked the shop as I pushed past him. The sun was seriously starting to bother me.

"Okay, what do you need to talk to us about?" Sam began to describe the changes Michael was going through.

"Does he sleep alot," Edgar asked.

"Yeah, all day." Edgar and Alan nodded.

"Does the sunlight freak him out?"

"He wears sunglasses in the house."

"He's a vampire alright." The boys looked at me suspiciously.

"I need your help," I said, pulling off the jacket to avoid questions.

"We know."

-----------------------------------------

"So, have you come up with a plan yet?" The Frogs were reluctant to help me, but after a few choice words, they agreed. They nodded slowly.

"Well, what is it then?"

"Kill the head vampire," they stated simply. I looked at them, confused. They sighed, before explaining the 'art' of 'vampire-hunting.'

"Do you know who that is," I asked, after they had explained everything to me.

"Well, not exactly."

"What do you mean by that?"

"We have some ideas as to who it could be."

"Like who?"

"Max."

"Why him?"

"Why anyone else?"

"Good point." They nodded their agreement.

"Do you guys mind if I sleep for awhile?"

"Uh, I guess that would be okay." I nodded and laid on the counter.

-----------------------------------------------------------

I woke up as night began to fall. After looking at my surroundings, I realized that I didn't know where I was. My eyes fell on the Rob Lowe poster hanging from the door as Sam burst into the room.

"You're awake!"

"Really? I didn't notice."

"Jeez, no need to get snappy."

"I'm not being snappy."

"Whatever you say."

"Did you guys ever work out a decent plan?"

"Not really." I rolled my eyes.

"So, this is your room?"

"Yep."

"Nice poster." It was silent for a moment.

"Who was the other girl?"

"What other girl?"

"The girl you were with at the concert."

"Oh, that's Star."

"She's the one that got Michael into this," he said bitterly.

"She didn't do anything," I snapped.

"She's the cause of everything!"

"No Sam, David's the cause."

"Who's David?"

"Okay, let me tell you the story."

-----------------------------------------------

Sam's mouth was agape as I finished telling him the story.

"Wow," he muttered. Michael burst into the room, causing me to jump.

"Sammy, why is she here," I slowly stood up. I put my hands up, showing him that I meant no harm.

"Mike, calm down." Sam stood and walked over to his brother.

"She's not going to hurt us." Michael was still on edge. Sam decided to try a different approach.

"If she wanted to hurt us, wouldn't she have already done it?" Michael thought about it for a second.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he sighed.

"We need to come up with a plan," Sam said.

--------------------------------------

"If we bring Star and Laddie here, they'll have to come look for them," Michael finished.

"And when they do, we'll be ready," Edgar replied. They all nodded as I rolled my eyes. _Did they seriously think they were gonna be able to do this?_

"Do you know who the head vamp is," I asked.

"Well, we _thought _it was Max."

"You thought?"

"Yeah, but we were wrong."

"How do you know?"

"We ran some tests, and he passed," Edgar answered gruffly. He had made it obvious that he didn't trust me.

"Tests," I asked.

"Garlic doesn't bother him, he has a reflection, water doesn't burn him, he doesn't glow, and he doesn't have bad breath," Alan explained, counting them off on his fingers.

"How do you guys know all that?"

"Our mom's dating him," Sam stated sadly.

"Oh, bummer," I answered. It was silent for a few minutes.

"Well, we better get going," Edgar shot me a glare as they left.

"At least we have a plan. Well, kind of," I said to Michael and Sam.

"I just hope it works," Michael said.

"Of course it'll work," Sam replied.

"Michael!" Michael ran to the window. He unhooked the latch and pushed it open.

"It's that girl from the boardwalk," Sam said. _What the hell was Star doing here?_

"I have to talk to you. Can I come up?"

"No. Close the window and lock your door," Michael said as he turned to Sam. There was a breeze and we all looked at the window. Star was standing there. She looked at us and then back to Michael.

"I need to talk to you."


	13. Chapter 13: Harder To Resist

**_My Life In Santa Carla.  
Chapter 13._**

Michael looked at me and Sam. He obviously wanted some privacy with Star. I just looked back at him. At this point, Sam was cowering under the covers. Star finally spoke.

"They don't have to leave." I leaned back against the wall, interested in what she had to say. Star remained silent. She was thinking over her words. Michael and I watched her expectantly.

"I wanted to tell you that it's not too late for you. But for me, it gets harder and harder to resist. I'm weak," she said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"You're too late. I'm just like David now, Star," Michael said. She walked closer to him.

"No you're not. You're like Laddie and me. And Viv too," she motioned to me and continued.

"You're not one of them-"

"Until you make your first kill," Sam interrupted. I stared at him and turned my attention back to Star.

"Why didn't you kill me sooner," Michael asked.

"You were supposed to be my first. That's what David wanted...but I couldn't Michael."

"Why? Because you care so much about me?"

"Yes I do," she placed her hand on the side of his face. He grabbed her.

"Why did you come here tonight, Star?" She looked down as Michael stared at her.

"I was hoping you would help Laddie and me," she mumbled. Michael laughed and turned his back to her. I sighed and shook my head. _God, that boy's an idiot sometimes._ We heard a gust of wind and Star was gone.

"Real smooth, Michael." He glared at me. Sam grabbed the phone.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm calling Edgar and Alan." He dialed a number and hung up shortly after.

"What are we supposed to do now," I muttered.

"Well... don't you know where David and the rest of them stay at?"

"Yeah," I said suspiciously.

"We're going tommorrow morning."

"No. Absolutely not," I stated, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Yes."

"Why," I whined.

"To get Star and Laddie." I stared at Michael like he had grown another head.

"How the hell do you plan to do that?"

"Well, it'll be morning so they'll be asleep."

"Edgar and Alan are coming with us?" Sam looked at me as if I were insane, before answering.

"Yeah." I rolled my eyes.

"This isn't going to go over too well." Sam glared at me.

"Well, I'm going to rest up for tommorrow." Michael and I nodded. I walked out of the room with Michael behind me.

"Michael?"

"Yeah?"

"Where am I supposed to sleep?"

"The couch." I nodded and walked to the stairs.

"Viviana?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't go anywhere tonight."

"What do you mean?" I already had an idea but I was curious to see what he would say.

"Don't go to the boardwalk, and don't go to the cave."

"Don't worry about it...Mike." I smiled at him. He nodded and smiled back to me.

"Good night, Michael."

"Good night, Viv."

"Michael," I called, before walking downstairs.

"Yeah," he asked, turning back towards me.

"I'm sorry about all this," I said quietly. Even though I had no control over it, I still felt as if part of it were my fault.

"Don't worry about it," he answered as he walked into his room.

I sighed and walked down the stairs. I went to the living room and lied down on the couch. I drifted into a peaceful sleep just as the sun began to rise.


	14. Chapter 14: Marko

_**Chapter Thirteen.  
Marko.**_

I was being violently shaken by someone. I pushed the person back, causing them to fall back into the chair.

"C'mon Viv, wake up already!" I cracked one eye open and groaned at the sunlight that was coming in through the windows.

"Sam, give me that blanket." He reached over and pulled a large blanket off a worn leather chair.

"It's about time. I was shaking you for like ten minutes."

"You'll live. Where's Micha-" I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I sat down on the stairs and clutched my stomach. My breathing grew heavy and sweat formed on my forehead. Sam sat down next to me.

"Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine." I winced as another sharp pain tore through my stomach.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, help me up." I held out my arm and he took hold of me.

"Jeez, you're heavy," he groaned.

"Shut up Sammy." I threw my arm around his shoulders and he threw his arm around my waist, helping me up the stairs. I pushed open the door to Michael's room. I groaned and sat down on the floor next to the bed as Sam began the task of waking Michael.

"Mike, wake up." Michael groaned and rolled over. After awhile of this, I grew aggravated.

"Let me try." I stoody slowly, with one hand on the wall for balance.

"Michael, wake your ass up now!" He mumbled something into the pillow that sounded like 'piss off.'

"I don't have time for this." I slapped Michael and he awoke with a jolt. He rubbed the side of his face.

"What the hell was that for!" I simply stared at him.

"Maybe next time you'll get up." I motioned for Sam. He walked over to me and I threw my arm across his shoulders. Michael threw us a confused look.

"Don't ask. Hurry up and get dressed. I'm ready to get this over with," I muttered as Sam and I walked out of his room.

"Hey Sammy?"

"Yeah?"

"Is my jacket still in your room?"

"I think so."

"I'm gonna go get it."

"No, I'll go get it. You just go to the living room and sit down." He turned around and walked back down the hallway. I walked down the stairs, trying to ignore the pains in my stomach. I sat down on the couch. Images of blood ran through my head and I closed my eyes, hoping they would go away. Michael walked down the stairs with Sam following behind.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I nodded.

"I'm sure." Michael looked at me suspiciously and sat down on the couch.

"When are Edgar and Alan supp-" I was cut off by the sound of hurried footsteps. The Frogs burst into the room.

"Nevermind," I muttered.

"Is everybody ready?" We all nodded and stood. I wrapped the jacket tighter around my shoulders and threw on a pair of sunglasses before I stepped outside.

"This is the car we're taking?" Sam nodded to me from the front seat. I hopped into the back. Michael pulled out of the garage.

"Hey Grandpa, is it okay if we borrow your car?" I looked out into the field and saw an old man putting sharpened fence posts into the ground. I gulped and looked at the road ahead of us.

We finally arrived at the cave after Michael almost passed out at the wheel a few times. They all jumped out of the car as I remained seated. They turned around.

"Aren't you coming?" I shook my head.

"I'll keep watch over the car." They all nodded and disappeared from sight as they ran down the steps leading into the cave. I fell asleep shortly after.

I awoke to the sound of shouts. I looked around and saw Star and Laddie next to me. Michael was asleep in the front seat.

"Mike, start the car!" Sam pushed Michael out of his way and jumped into the driver's seat. Edgar and Alan came to a stop next to the car.

"We don't ride with vampires."

"Fine, stay here."

"We do now."

"Yeah." They hopped into the front seat.

"Burn rubber!" Sam slammed on the gas while the car was in reverse. We almost drove off the side of the cliff.

"Christ!" Sam looked at us.

"Burn rubber does not mean warp speed." He sped off down the road.

"Sam, what's that gunk on your sweater?" I grimaced at the orange substance.

"Blood." An uneasy feeling grew in the pit of my stomach.

"Whose blood?"

"We took out the little one."

"Marko." I whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing." They stared at me and then turned their attention back to the road.


	15. Chapter 15: Who You Are

_**Chapter Fifteen.  
**Who You Are._

I stormed into the house, with the others following behind me. Michael was walking up the stairs with Star in his arms. Alan seemed to have trouble carrying Laddie. He almost dropped him twice and he was only half-way up the stairs. I rolled my eyes and took Laddie from him. Sam was last in line. We all froze as we heard a voice.

"Michael, did I ever tell you the rule about filling up the car with gas when you take it without asking?" We were all struck dumb, to say the least. Laddie would have slipped from my arms if I hadn't tightened my grip on him. _Does he even notice the strange situation that's taking place in front of him?_

"No, Grandpa." I shifted Laddie in my arms.

"Well, now you know." He simply turned and walked away. I shook my head, puzzled. I ran up the stairs and pushed open the door to Michael's room with my foot. I laid Laddie down on the bed just as Michael walked into the room. He gently laid Star down on the bed next to Laddie. He sat down next to the bed and leaned against the wall. He fell asleep.

I closed my eyes as images of Marko ran through my mind. Edgar, Alan, and Sam ran out of the room. They were talking about having only two hours to come up with a plan. I tried to suppress the tears that were threatening to fall. _Why do I care so much? He never did anything good for me. But why do I miss him so much? I wonder how David and the boys are taking it?_ I glanced at the sleeping forms of Michael, Star, and Laddie. _I wonder if I could make it past Sam, Edgar, and Alan without getting caught?_ I looked around the room for my jacket. _Damn, it's downstairs._ I quietly pushed open the door. I had mastered the art of being quiet. I checked to make sure that no one was in the hallway. I snuck over to the stairs and stepped down onto the top step. I sighed as it creaked. After seeing that no one had come to ask me what I was doing, I practically ran down the stairs. I grabbed the jacket off the couch and looked around. _Where could they have gone?_ I began to walk down the dirt road that led to the Emerson house. _Great...how the hell am I gonna get to Miriam's?_ Nightfall was about two hours away. _Maybe she's still at the boardwalk. _I sighed and continued walking. It would take me about an hour to get there. My feet were beginning to hurt as the boardwalk came into view. I couldn't help but smile. I stepped onto the boardwalk and took in all of the familiar sights.

I wandered around for awhile, but stopped as I heard a familiar sound. It was the sound of approaching motorcycles. I closed my eyes and took a breath. They were getting closer and closer. I watched as they pulled onto the boardwalk and parked their bikes in front of a shop. _I can't face them. I can't._ I ran in the direction of Miriam's shop. I glanced back before walking into the store. They were watching me.

"I'm sorry, Miriam! I didn't know that I was gonna be gone so long," I called. No answer. I walked into the storeroom. She wasn't there, either._ What the hell?_

"She's not here, Viviana." I recognized that voice.

"Where is she, David," I asked.

"If you ever wanna see her again, you better come with us," he answered. I glanced at Dwayne and Paul. I didn't want to go with them, but if I didn't, then they would kill Miriam. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the shop, dragging me to his bike. The boardwalk had closed. The only sign of life were the bonfires scattered along the beach. They parked near the beach, away from the fires, and David dragged me off the bike. I watched Paul and Dwayne climb a tree. David motioned to the tree, wanting me to climb.

"What the hell is this," I asked David. He smirked.

"You're one of us, aren't you?" I stared at him, trying to figure out what was going on. _If you don't do this, he'll kill Miriam._ I sighed and began to climb the tree, with David following behind me. I sat on the branch closest to Dwayne, as I watched people dance around the fire.

"You brought me up here, just to watch a buncha," I started, but was cut off as the boys swooped down and attacked. I screamed as David ripped the skin off some guy's head, with his teeth. It was a complete massacre. I knew that I needed to run, but I couldn't look away.

"C'mon, Viv," Paul shouted with a grin, looking up at me. My heart felt like it was going to rip out of my chest and sweat formed on my forehead. I looked away, as they kept shouting for me to join them. I scampered down out of the tree, but I slipped as I tried to run. I just laid there, trying to catch my breath. I heard their footsteps, but I was too dazed and scared to move. They were standing over me.

"Now you know who we are, Viviana, and who you are, too," David said.

"You'll never grow old and you'll never die, but you must feed," he added. I glanced back at the bonfire, before closing my eyes, hoping that they would disappear. Thankfully, they did.

* * *

Michael awoke with a start. He glanced around his room, which was being bathed in an eerie red glow. He brought his attention to the bed in front of him, Star was awake and leaning against the headboard. She was absently picking at the material of her skirt. She glanced at Laddie, who was beginning to wake up, and then to Michael. He resumed looking around the room. He noticed that there was someone missing. He glanced around the room once more, to confirm his suspicion. Star had noticed the look upon his face.

"She's not here." Michael sighed. Laddie, who was now awake, looked between the two. There was a moment of silence. They were fearing the worst and were tyring to figure out a way to get around it. Michael stood from his spot on the floor and walked to the window.

"They'll be coming for Laddie and me won't they?"

"They'll be coming for all of us." Laddie moved closer to Star as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Let's go downstairs." The three walked out of the door and down the hallway. Sam met them at the top of the stairs.

"It's about time you got up. I was just coming to get you."

* * *

After I had calmed down a little, I ran back to Michael's.

"Michael," I screamed, pounding on the door. The door opened a crack, before being slammed shut and locked.

"No, Sam! Don't let her in," Michael shouted.

"What do you want, Viviana," he asked.

"Please," I cried.I glanced back to make sure they weren't behind me.

"Let her in, Michael," Star said.

"No. She's one of them," Michael shot back.

"She's one of us." I heard the click of the lock and Michael slowly opened the door, just enough for me to step inside.

"What happened to you," Sam asked.

"They...I...I went to the shop, but when I got there, she wasn't there," I cried. Michael and Sam looked confused.

"Who wasn't there," Michael asked.

"Miriam! I looked for her, but David said that if I ever wanted to see her again, then I needed to go with him. He forced me to go with them to the beach, and," I broke off as I started to cry harder.

"It's ok, Viv," Sam soothed.

"There was a bonfire going on, and they...they killed...they killed," I continued, but I couldn't finish the sentence.

"Oh God," Michael said as Star pulled me into a hug.

"Now what," Sam asked quietly.

"Viv, go upstairs with Laddie. Close the window and lock the door," Michael answered, ushering me up the stairs.

* * *

Michael, Star, and Sam were talking in the kitchen, when the front door was slammed open. Sam looked around for some sort of weapon. He picked up a sharp, wooden stake and followed Michael into the living room. The two brothers sighed in relief. Edgar and Alan were standing in front of them. Each had a flask and a stake.

"What's the flask for," Michael asked.

"Holy water," Edgar responded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. The four of them walked into the kitchen, as Edgar and Alan took in their surroundings. Alan appeared to be looking for something specific. He turned to Sam and Michael.

"Do you have any garlic?"

"Yeah." Sam walked over to a basket and pulled out a few cloves. Edgar took them from him and placed them on the counter.

"We need to get holy water," Alan said.

"Let's go." Sam walked out of the door, with Edgar and Alan behind him. Michael sighed and started shutting all the windows. He had just finished shutting the last window, when he heard the hurried footsteps of Sam, Edgar, and Alan. The Frogs took the stairs two at a time, flasks in hand.

Michael shook his head in confusion as he helped Sam crush the garlic. Sam rushed up the stairs, towards the bathroom. He poured the garlic into the bathtub and made his way back down the stairs, Edgar and Alan behind him.

"Sam, take this." Edgar shoved a plastic water gun into his hands. Sam shot him a questioning look.

"It's filled with holy water," Edgar stated gruffly.

"Oh." Sam lit some old newspapers and threw them into the fireplace as Michael and Star went up stairs to check on Viviana and Laddie. Sam's dog, who was tied up to the fence outside, began to bark.

"Nanook!" Sam dropped the water gun and ran outside. Edgar and Alan ran after him, but stopped on the porch.

"No! Sam! Don't go out there!" Michael and Star ran downstairs, after hearing shouts. Michael pushed past Edgar and Alan and ran after Sam, who was having trouble untying the dog leash from the fence.

"Michael!" Michael grabbed the leash from Sam's hands and tried to untie the knot, ignoring the shouts coming from the porch. The wind began to pick up, causing the tree branches to sway. The sound of fluttering wings filled everyone's ears.

"Michael, they're coming!" His hands began to shake, but he managed to untie the leash. He grabbed the back of Sam's shirt and ran towards the house. The others ran into the house as Michael slammed the door shut behind him.


End file.
